Dragon Kyn: Book One
by Kael-Sendra Starz
Summary: Kael's got three draclings to return to their kyn, and a daughter to watch. plus a great-great grandmother to find. oi.
1. Chapter One

Dragon Kyn: Chapter One: Flee, Lyf, Flee! 

Lonesome it is

when the sea-steeds toss their frothy manes

far from the home- hearth.

~Kragish Skald

"Mommy? What are farin?" Kaeldra looked up at her mother. "Where's Kragorm? Where are the dragons? Do dragons really exist? Mommy, what are dragon-sayers and dragonslayers?" her mother looked down at her questioning daughter and sighed. 

"Well, Kael, I don't know how to explain this to you. You are farin. Dragons are real, you have a special gift that lets you understand them, Kara's Gift. Kragorm? Nobody really knows exactly where it is, but if you sail the Kragish sea long enough, you'll find it. Or so they say. The dragons are at Kragorm, only far away from it. You are a dragon-sayer. The dragonslayers are your enemies. Only some say that they are dragonslayers but they're really helpers from Landerath."

"Who is Landerath?" 

"Landerath is trying to save the dragons. But it's very hard because they eat so much and people get suspicious. So, hopefully, at the next hatching, some will survive. Hopefully."

"Is Landerath my enemy?"

"No, Landerath is your friend. If you ever see this-" she took the amulet out from under her dress. It was a dragonpod bloom. "You'll know, that they are trying to help you. Any one with a dragonpod bloom is on your side. The side to save the dragons. When you grow up, you will save the dragons."

  
  


Kaeldra woke from her dream smiling fondly of the memory. But only for a few minutes. Then reality came back and ruined her happiness. Her mother was dead. The only thing that she still had of hers, was the dragonpod bloom. The boy who stood next to her, also had one. Kitt had originally said he was a dragonslayer, but with proof of a dragonpod bloom, Kael trusted him. He had sandy blonde hair. That was always flying in front of his eyes making him look irresistible. His clear blue eyes only made him more attractive. Kaeldra also had blonde hair, but her eyes were fiercely green. She was dressed as a boy so she could run from the real dragonslayers easier. 

A thrumming sound came their way, and both looked up. 3 small shapes came towards them, their actual shape and size was not determined until a few minutes later. 

Embyr! Pyro! Synge! Good morning to you! Kael called with her mind. That was her gift, understanding and communicating with dragons. Kara's Gift. 

"They're coming." she said. 

"I guessed." Kitt said. 

not hungry anymore! Pyro called back.

it hurts Synge whined. Kael felt a twinge of pain in her shoulder, feeling Synge's pain. Lyf, Kael's daughter, woke up and looked at Synge, the smallest dracling. Lyf looked like Kael. Green eyes, blonde hair. She too could understand what the draclings were saying, only not as well. She squealed with joy at the draclings. Lyf loved the draclings, and they loved her. 

sleepy Embyr walked slowly towards them, belly full. 

sleepy too. Pyro said, also with a bulging belly.

hurts Synge complained again.

"Lyf, come here, darling." Kael smiled at her daughter. A hand rubbed her shoulder and she looked up into the eyes of her husband, Kitt, who smiled down at her. They were a happy family. But they still had to run. They had to save the draclings and then furthermore, protect the dragon kyn. 

Suddenly, there was a clashing of swords against shields. King Orrik's men had come.

"Come Lyf." Pyro! Synge! Embyr! We have to go. NOW. Kael shouldered her pack, Kitt grabbled Lyf, and both began to run, the draclings trailing behind. 

help! Hurts! Synge was far behind, because of her wound. 

"Synge!" Kael turned and ran back. She picked up Synge and began to run back. 

"Kael! Hurry!"

Cave. Pyro said helpfully. 

"Kael, I know you're there!" how did someone know her name? Especially among the King's men? Kael didn't spend a long time pondering this. She was almost at the cave, when they began to shoot arrows. 

"No!" she ran harder, and just barely made it in the cave. 

"Oh my gosh."

WHO ARE YOU? the mind-voice burned the inside of Kael's head. 

WHO ARE YOU? 

Kael! 

why are you here? 

I'm running away from the King's men. And trying to return the draclings to their kyn.

I'm Byrn.

"Byrn." Kael turned around to come face to face with a very large green and black female dragon. The unusual thing was, there was a gyrfalcon resting upon her shoulder. 

who's that?

the bird? Shiva. She was Kara's bird. But Kara let her return to us when she met us.

KARA!

yes, you know of her?

she's my mother's mother's mother.

really? So you are related?

yes, and Lyf here, "Come here Lyf, Byrn won't hurt you." is also.

"B-big dracling. Mama, I scared." she quivered in Kitt's lap. 

Kael laughed. "This isn't a dracling, Lyf. It's a full grown dragon. This is how big they look, all grown up." she's only seen the draclings, never a full grown dragon. She can talk to them and call birds.

hmmm. A young one?

yes. Can you tell me about Kara?

why, of course. Kara was-

"Kael!" a man came running into the cave and stopped dead at the site of the dragon. 

"A-are you Kael? Daughter of Kara's grand-daughter?"

"Y-yes, why?"

"I'm Kazan."

"Oh? And..."

"Her husband. Kara lives. I swear. Kara lives. Hello, and you are?" looking at the dragon.

"She's Byrn."

ah, Kazan he's the one who knew of the island with fire in the land.

"Did you know of the place where the dragons left at the Migration?"

"Yes. I was there describing it to Kara that day. I recognize you." 

he should. Kael laughed. 

"What?"

"She said you should recognize her." 

"Yes, well, the King's men are still looking for you. Rath is waiting."

"Rath?"

"Landerath. His nick name is Rath. That's what we called him when he was about 10."

"Oh. I see." she thought of the memory of her mother. Then shook her head sadly. Her mother was dead. She'd watch her die. Luckily, Grandmyr had been 'round so she was saved. She was 12 then. It had been 18 years ago. 

can I help you with anything?

no. Just a place to rest for the night

okay. 

"Well, Kael, you may yet see me again. Till then." Kazan left and Byrn retreated to the back of the cave. Kitt and Lyf relaxed. 

"Why was I ever so foolish as too wed such a girl?"

"Hey, that's not funny."

"I'm kidding." Kitt grinned. 

"Oh. okay. Now what?"

"I dunno. How 'bout a-" an arrow hit the ground. 

No body moved for several seconds. Waiting to see if any others would follow. None did. 

I get Embyr offered as she wattled towards it. 

NO! I'll get it Kael went out and grabbed the arrow, pulled it out and came back. 

"There's a note." she untied it and unrolled it. 

Dragon-girl-

come down and bring the dragons. 

If you don't, you'll wish you had.

-King Orrik's Men. 

Kael gulped. She guessed what they were going to do. They would slay the dragons, eat their hearts and drink their blood then take the heads and mount them in their cozy rooms. Just as it said in the Bok of Dragon:

A dragon's head, mounted, protects the hall from fire;

a dragon's heart, roasted, fends off the bite of blade;

a dragon's blood, boiled, repels the creeping death. 

"Kael, what do you say?" Kitt had read the note. 

"You, Lyf, and the draclings, you must flee. I'll catch up."

"But-"

"Go. Now. Before they come."

Kitt nodded. 

"C'mon Lyf, we have to go."

"But what about Mama?"

"She'll-" he hesitated. "She'll join us later." he tried to be confident, and failed.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: King Orrik's Men.  
  
Where have they gone  
  
the old night-flyers,  
  
fire-foes,  
  
haunters of the heights?  
  
Where have they gone  
  
the ancient kyn of dragons?  
  
-Kragish Skald.   
  
"Dragon-Girl! Come out! Bring your dragons too!" King Orrik's men climbed the hill to Kael's hideaway cave.  
  
"Dragon-Girl! Show yourself!" Kael stood in the shadows, waiting, for just the right moment to come out. She   
  
could just barely make out the company. At least 20 men, a few horses, but none rode them, they were supply horses.   
  
Kael nocked an arrow in her long bow, loosed her sword. Now, she was ready. For just about anything.   
  
"Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaael!" Mirym's voice reached her ears. They'd gone to Granmyr's? In search of her, no doubt.   
  
So, as bait, they take Mirym? Gods have mercy.   
  
Kael stepped out into the light of the noon sun.   
  
"Let 'er go. She didn't do anything. Let Mirym go."   
  
"Not till you give us some dragons." the head man yelled back.   
  
"They have run from me! I can not make them come. Even now they may be dead, or close to." she almost revealed   
  
that one of them was already badly wounded.   
  
"Well, if this is not enough to tempt you then maybe, this is." he gestured to one of his men. Two babies were   
  
brought out. Aryanna and Lyska. Kael's two twin daughters, and a young boy a few years older then Lyf. Owyn, Kael's only son.   
  
"All of them, captives. Call down dragons for us, and they are set free, unharmed. Yet." Kael was stuck. Her husband,   
  
daughter, and draclings were in one direction, and her sister, her two daughters and her only son were in the opposite direction.   
  
Kael was stuck in the middle. She could neither betray her spouse and child, but she couldn't betray her sibling and her children.   
  
And she couldn't betray the dragons.   
  
"Mama!" Owyn's voice rang out in the silence. She knew Kitt could handle taking care of the draclings, but she didn't know   
  
if he could handle it with Lyf in tow as well.   
  
"Auntie Mirym, Auntie Mirym, it's Mama! Didn't they say, that as soon as I found Mama they'd let us go? Didn't they! They did! I remember!"  
  
"Owyn, no, they-oh yes, they did. They promised, that when we found Mama for them, they'd let us go unharmed. No one said   
  
anything about making Mama call down dragons, then setting us free. 'If and when you find Kael, we'll let you go, unharmed. We promise   
  
by the love for our King.' they said. That's what they said. So. How 'bout that promise. Wynter?" the head man, lowered his hood revealing,   
  
not a man's face, but a woman's.   
  
"We did promise, in the hope that you would forget. Syan, release them. We are sorry, Kael, if you do not, or can not, as you say,  
  
call the dragons for us, we shall leave you. Syan, I said release them!" Syan remained motionless.   
  
"You defy me? Well." she dismounted and slapped him hard. "Release them now before the next blood on my sword is yours."   
  
she remounted as Syan released Mirym and Owyn. The one holding Aryanna and Lyska, carried them up to Kael with Mirym and Owyn.   
  
"Thank you." Mirym and Owyn hugged Kael while Kael held Aryanna and Lyska.   
  
"We take our leave! Good luck!" Wynter leaned over to her men and said something too softly for Kael to hear. Then she trotted up the hill to Kael.   
  
"Kael, there is another symbol of the friends of dragons. The sign of the dove. I, and my men, have one. We are allies in the   
  
King's army. Allies that will serve you well. I am sorry if I startled you the first time. Mirym, Owyn and your daughters knew that we were on your side.   
  
"We trick Mama!" Owyn laughed.   
  
"Yes, I guess that's what it was. If you ever need help, call a dove and send it to Wynter with a note tied to it's leg. All it need say is your   
  
name or any of your family, yes, I know about Lyf and Kitt, and were you are approximately. I will come. Not to worry. Do you want me to return any of these?"  
  
"Er, yes, Mirym, if you could take Aryanna and Lyska with you back to Granmyr, Owyn can come with me. I let Lyf come. And she's 2 years younger the he is. Would you?"  
  
"Of course. I don't think Arya and Lyska should be out on adventures just yet."  
  
"Okay then, Mirym, come." Mirym took Aryanna and Lyska back from Kael and went with Wynter. Kael and Owyn waved good bye until Wynter's party was out of sight.  
  
"Okay, Owyn, we have to go find Da and sis."  
  
"Okay. Let's go!" they set off towards where Kael had seen them leave.   
  
An hour later, Kael and Owyn still had not gotten anywhere.   
  
"KAEL!" Kael and Owyn spun around, Kael with and arrow nocked and ready.   
  
"Kael, it's only me and Lyf. Something's wrong with the little one. Lyf says it's Synge."  
  
"Synge! Where! Take Owyn. Where's Synge?"  
  
"Follow Mama." Lyf came up and tugged on her pants leg. "Follow Mama" she started to run off. And Kael followed. As they ran, the   
  
chattering of birds grew louder and louder.   
  
"Almost there. Here." they got to a clearing. There was Synge, leaning against a tree in the middle.   
  
SYNGE!   
  
hurt she said weakly. Kael ran over to her.   
  
lie down, relax, it's okay. Everything will be okay, relax it's okay. she got out the bandages and the medicine for Synge's wound.   
  
She poured out some of the thick blue paste onto Synge's cut then quickly wrapped it in bandages. Synge relaxed and fell asleep. Embyr and Pyro already had.   
  
"Kael? Lyf?" Kitt and Owyn came, panting and stumbling. The birds had quieted or at least most had left. But there was one that the whole time had   
  
remained quiet, still, and staring. It had stared down at Kael the entire time she tended to Synge's wound. Now it swooped down to Kael and landed on a branch.   
  
This time Kael stared at it, and it stared back.   
  
It was a gyrfalcon.   
  
"You're that Shiva bird, aren't you? Byrn sent you to follow and watch me." Kael said.   
  
"It's been following us for a while. Lyf will talk with it sometimes."  
  
"Mama, is it bad for me to talk to draclings and birds?"  
  
"No, I don't think it is. Just, don't try to be them. That's when you get lost."  
  
"Okay. Da don't like it though."  
  
"And I don't but I suppose, I really can't object, can I?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"So what happened?" Kael told of what had happened.   
  
"Well, quite an adventure you've had."  
  
"Indeed. And all over 3 little draclings."  
  
"No. Not any more. I found a little hole of draclings."  
  
"Where Lyf?"  
  
"Follow me."  
  
"Come on, everyone." Kael, Kitt, and Owyn followed Lyf to a small stump by a stream. The stump was hollowed out, and several pairs of eyes looked up.   
  
"Oh dear."  
  
hungry! they all seemed to be saying. A blue-green female climbed up.   
  
Skorch she said. Then, a smaller red male came up beside her.  
  
Smoak he told Kael. Finally, a fairly small dracling came up. This one, was young enough, it's first skin hadn't come off yet, but an orangish  
  
green is what it looked like so it was assumed, a female.   
  
Kindle there seemed to be three groups of draclings. Large, medium and small. The large ones, were obviously,   
  
the eldest of the hatching, and it ranged down from that. Medium, middle aged, the small, the youngest. Skorch, Smoak, and Kindle, seemed to be the "leaders"   
  
among the three groups.   
  
"Lyf, just how many are here?" before 5 year old could answer, all the draclings filed out of the hollow. There were four in each group,   
  
making a total of 12. Plus the three they already had, and Skorch, Smoak, and Kindle, there were 18.   
  
"Eighteen draclings and thousands of miles to go. Oh god. What more do I need?" her question was answered in moment. The jingle of horses'   
  
harnesses, and shouts of men gave away the fact that the real version of King Orrik's men were hot on their trail.   
  
"Oh-h-h-h...." Kael couldn't think of a swear or an oath that would fit this situation. 


End file.
